Disc Jockeys or DJs have been mainly using vinyl records and Compact Discs (CDs) for playing music before the mp3 format became popular. The move to digital media such as mp3 and other forms of audio storage formats allowed storing many musical tracks and songs using digital storage. Digital vinyl systems (referred to herein as DVS) allow DJs to manipulating the playback of digital music using turntables and CD players interface. Although the name DVS includes the word vinyl, this term is not limited to vinyl and refers also to other means that allow the manipulation of playback of digital music such as CDs. Serato Scratch Live and Tracktor Scratch are some examples of such DVS systems. These systems incorporate a hardware and software solution that allows a DJ to use a standard turntable, compact disc player or other interface to control and manipulate the digital music being played.
A DVS system receive a control signal that identifies the exact playing location, speed and direction so that the DVS can play the audio according to how the record or CD is being manipulated by the DJ. One way of sending such a control signal is by using a time code signal coded on special records or CDs specifically prepared for these DVS systems. When such records or CDs are used, the audio of the played time code is routed into the DVS so that the DVS decodes the exact playing location, speed and direction using the input audio signal. Another way of sending this control signal is by using a direct electronic signal that transmits data consisting of the location, speed, direction as well as other information. Such a direct electronic signal is may send MIDI data by using a MIDI controller for example that send midi information directly to the DVS. This MIDI information may be transmitted through a USB connection between the MIDI controller and the DVS system. In some cases special CD players include MIDI functionality for this purpose, making the use of a time coded CD redundant.
One major drawback to using DVS systems is the DJ handover process, when a DJ arrives to a venue and needs to set up the DVS equipment, sometimes when another DJ is playing. The venue may in some cases be quite dark, packed with people, the DJ booth may be small and the access to the connectors that the DVS needs to be connected to may be very limited. The requirement for the handover process is that is that the handover change between the currently playing DJ and the next DJ would be done consecutively; one immediately after the other. This used to be a simple matter when audio media such as CDs and vinyls where used but DVS system setup makes things more difficult. The problem also occurs when a DJ that uses a DVS completes playing and the next DJ comes up to play. In this case the DVS needs to be disconnected without interrupting the next DJ. When both DJs use DVS systems the problem is more complicated due to the many connections and disconnections that need to be done.
The difficulty of the DJ handover process is a result of the connections that are necessary for a DVS system to function properly. In a standard setup, a turntable and compact disk (hereby referred to as audio media devices) are connected directly to an audio mixer. To connect a DVS into this setup, the connection of the audio media devices is disconnected from the mixer and connected to the DVS inputs. This step allows the special time code media to be played into the DVS and be used by the DVS. Following this step, the DVS outputs are connected to the mixer. These steps may not seem to be difficult to make at home or in a studio, but these connections can be difficult during a club performance where another DJ is playing before you or after you and the transition of music between the DJs needs to be unnoticed by the audience. Adding to that the fact that the venue may be dark and the connectors and wires of the mixer and audio media devices may be not easily reachable. In some cases taking out a cable connection may even destroy the cable or even the mixer connector. Things can get even more difficult if both DJs have DVS systems.
One simplification to the problem has been to make special audio media players with MIDI functionality for sending MIDI control data via a USB connection to the DVS in order to remove the requirement of receiving a time coded audio from the audio media device. This solution still requires connecting the DVS to the venue mixer and only partially solves the problem since existing cables may need to be disconnected. This solution is only relevant for specific types of audio media players and certain types of DVS and this solution does not solve the problem for existing appliances, hardware and software.
There is thus a widely recognized need for way to simplify and facilitate the DJ handover process when switching between DVS systems and audio media devices or when switching between two DVS systems, in a manner that does not require changing the venue existing cable connections and that allows connecting or disconnecting a DVS without interrupting the other DJ that is playing, preferably during the playing of the other DJ.